The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-11-30
SOMERSET, PA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1887

as good right to the road as you have
OF TO this cabin. either. Go back your
| self, if you like it,
"Reub is ahead again. said the latter.
Here, Reub. take hold and shell some
corn" said Hiram.
| Nathan. muttering that he wished the
ghost would catch and eat Reuben be-
gan cracking butternuts vigorously; and
for time the boys were too intent upon
eating to find time to talk. Reuben grew
sleepy very soon, and curled himself up
in a corner, where huge chimney made
an an angle with the wall and shaded
him from the bright freight, and quick
ly fell asleep.
| As the older boys found their appe-
tites for butternuts and popped corn di-
minishing, they began to tell stories to
pass away the time. II was quite natur-
al, but not very wise, that they should
choose ghost stories and one boy after
another told some blood-curdling tale
until their hair almost stood up straight
with fright.
keziah Wood said Hiram, that
lives to our house, says she used to work
for a family that lived in a haunte
! house. She says it was awful. Every
night, about midnight, they used to hear
chains clanking overhead and blue
light would shine out-Hark F, Boys,
what's that?"
The boys listened. Very distinctly
they heard, in the loft above them, the
clanking of heavy chains. They looked
at each other with pale faces Their hearts
almost stood still. Somehow, it seemed
very different to hear those voices at
midnight in lonely cabin, from hearing
them in full daylight at home.
Nathan was the first to rally, feeling,
perhaps, that his reputation for courage
was at stake.
Hadn't we better go up and see what
it is?" he asked.
But at that moment the cabin was
flooded with strange, blue light and
the boys, looking toward the opening
which gave admission to the loft over
head, saw plainly human skull, look
ing very terrible in the ghostln, blue
light, seeming to float in the air, midway
between the ceiling and the floor
This was too much. The boys tum-
bled out of the caoin and ran for home,
never stopping to take breath until they
reached the foot-path which led 10 the
Davis farm When they halted there,
both were too badly frightened to go
home alone. So they went on with Mo-
ses and Nathan, and climbing up the
shed and in at the window Of the loft,
lay awake for hours, their teeth chatter
ing with fear.
As soon as they were fairly away from
the cabin, two rough looking men let
themselves cautiously down from above,
and peered cautiously around.
All gone, Bill, asked one.
Yes, Tom," returned the other
"'Twon't do for us to stay here any
longer, said Tom. Soon as they tell what
they saw the old folks will suspect mis-
chief. and the game will be up.
Were safe enough for tonight" said
Bill, "And we'll get off early in the NOR
ming. Moneys all right, amt it,"
Guess So" said Tom May as well
look and see"
And. going TO the fireplace. he stopped
down and lifted one of the bricks from
its place in the hearth.
Little Reuben, wakened by the sound
of strange voices, had crouched back in
his corner, fearing to be seen. and listen
ed eagerly to every word. Now he drew
carefully forward and peeped around the
corner, great hope springing up in his
heart
The backs of the two men were toward
him, so that he could not see their faces;
but by the light of the fire, he saw Tom
put his hand in the open place left by the
displaced brick and lift up the mitten
lhe would have known 1t anywhere, he
thought.) in which his father kept his
money.
'.Yes, it's all here" said Tom. MAY
as well put it back now, and well be off
early in the morning"
They replaced the mitten, and then sat
for awhile by the fire, eating butternuts
and corn which the boys had left. Reu-
ben drew back in his corner, but not un-
til he had caught glimpse of their faces,
and recognized them as two men who
had been seen in their neighborhood sew
eral times of late, ostensibly looking for
work, but of whom Capt Davis had said,
They were after no good"
Reuben listened to their conversation,
and learned from it that they had escap-
ed from prison in a neighboring state and
that their plan was TO push on through
the woods to Portsmouth, where they
hoped to get passage on some vessel
bound to England, trusting to- the money
they had stolen from his father to supply
them with the necessaries for the jour
ney.
They shan't have it," thought little
Reuben "Ill get it some way" But
although he made dozens of plans. none
of them seemed feasible.
He found that they had been living in
the cabin for nearly two weeks They
had trusted to its reputation for secrecy,
and by burning the blue light had hoped
to keep alive the story of the ghost. The
skull they had stolen from the medical
college. But, as we have seen, they had
overdone this part. and had opened the
way to discovery.
At last Bill said with an oath, it was
'.tilne to turn in." Tom swung himself
into the loft, and tossed down a pair of
old blankets; and, wrapping themselves
in these, the two men threw themselves
down on the floor, and were sooG asleep.
Reuben waited until be was sure both
were sleeping soundly. Then he crept
out from mis- hiding place. He stole softly
to the hearth, with tire milling hands
pried up the loosened brick, caught up
the mitten with its preciouscontents, and
slipped quietly out al the door.
The night was dark; and the rain
which Reuben had predicted in the after